Adjustable clamping jaw



Jan. 2, 1968 T A KRAUS E ET A1. 3,361,316

ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING JAW Filed Oct. 22, 1965 I 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Armin Krqusea Helmut Keitel AT ToRNYs Jan. 2, 1968 A. KRAUSE ET AL ADJUSTABLE CL-AMPING JAW 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1965 ,wvewnms Armin Krause a Helmut Keitel BY X ,9

ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1968 A.IKRAUSE ET AL ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING JAW Fild Oct. 22, 1965 5 Sheets-$heet 5 INVENTORS Armin ,Krcuse a m Hel ut Keltel ATTORNEYS United States Patent G F 3,361,316 ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING JAW Armin Krause and Helmut Keitel, Wilhelmshaven, Germany, assignors to Olympia Werke A.G., Wilhelmshaven, Germany Filed (lot. 22, 1965, Scr. No. 501,981 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 9, 1964, 10,506 8 Claims. (Cl. 226-149) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clamping jaw arrangement for stepwise conveying devices in which the movement of a movable clamping jaw relative to a fixed clamping jaw is effected by a reciprocatory pivotable drive means and the degree of movement of the movable jaw is controlled by an adjustment device carried by the movable jaw, contacting the drive means along a contacting line, and adjustably displaceable in a longitudinal direction.

The present invention relates to a clamping jaw arrangement for step-by-step conveying devices, wherein stripor card-like information carriers are conveyed, and more particularly, to a clamping arrangement wherein a clamping jaw is fixedly mounted to the frame of the device and a movable clamping jaw is driven in synchronism with the conveying steps of the carrier by means of a reciprocating drive.

Clamping jaw arrangements are required in strip or card punching devices wherein, during the punching operation, the information carrier is simultaneously transported by the punches one conveying step through the punching station.

In a known embodiment, the punches are mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a reciprocating or rocker device which can be moved to and fro in the direction of movement of the carrier. After completion of a punching and conveying step, the punches are Withdrawn from the information carrier, and the rocker is returned to its starting position. During this process, the information carrier must be held firmly in its proper position so that no inaccuracies result in the punching operation, and so that movement of the information carrier by the return of the rocker is synchronized in accordance with an international norm.

Clamping jaws are used to retain the information carrier in its proper position. Generally, one of the clamping jaws is fixedly mounted and the other jaw is movable in synchronism with the conveying steps, from its clamping position into an open position. In a known embodiment, a drive cam is directly effective upon a lifting flank portion provided on the movable clamping jaw. Although such arrangements have served the purpose, the clamping arrangements over long periods of time have not functioned with the precision required for these conveyingdevices. In particular, inaccuracies in the synchronous movement are encountered in connection with rapid punching machines. These inaccuracies result from abrasion at the friction lining of the movable clamping jaw, differing thicknesses of the material of the information carriers, and wear and tear in the drive system for the clamping jaws. Although the variations in the individual steps occurring as a consequence of the above are not of decisive importance, the sum of the individual deviations results in intolerable differences with respect to the step norm prescribed. Thus, even though temporary relief can be obtained by reconditioning the friction lining, such adjustment is not satisfactory for precision conveying systems.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to pro- 3,361,316 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 vide a clamping jaw arrangement for step by step conveying devices wherein the synchronous conveyance of an information carrier is precisely maintained over long periods of time.

It is another object to provide an adjustable clamping jaw arrangement wherein differences in the carriers and wearing of the jaws may be compensated for.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide a clamping jaw arrangement for conveying devices which is more economical to produce.

According to the present invention, a clamping jaw arrangement is provided wherein the above-described dis-- advantages are obviated by operatively connecting the movable clamping jaw via an adjusting device to the drive cam of a reciprocal drive. Thereby, not only can the differences in the material of the information carrier be compensated for, but also compensation may be obtained for wear and tear in the drive system of the clamping jaws. Moreover, the novel clamping jaw arrangement permits a lowering of the manufacturing tolerances and at the same time a more accurate adjustment of the control periods. Thus, considerable savings with respect to time and material are made possible in the manufacturing proc ess.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the novel adjusting device is provided with a plunger whose longitudinal position may be varied and whose width corresponds to the width of the drive cam, with the material of the plunger being chosen in accordance with the loads. The drive surface of the plunger has the shape of a section of the generated surface of a cylinder and contacts, under the force of a spring, in each operating position, the preferably planar drive surface of the drive cam, along a contact line. Thereby, a point contact between the drive cam and the plunger is avoided which point contact would, in the long run, be subjected to excessive wear and tear. In order that the plunger and the drive cam contact each other along a line, the cross section of the plunger has an oblong shape with respect to the contact line and is preferably the shape of a circle flattened on both sides in parallel to the contact line.

In accordance with another feature, the plunger, in a preferred embodiment, is mounted in the movable clamping jaw for variable longitudinal displacement and is secured against rotation by means including a set screw having a counter nut thereon.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in section, of the clamping jaw arrangement according to the present invention in conjunction with a punching device.

FIGURE 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the clamping jaw arrangement.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the adjusting device taken along line Illlll of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 4 is a top view, partly in section, of a movable clamping jaw according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a clamping jaw arrangement according to the present invention in conjunction with a device for punching information carriers, wherein the punches 6 are guided in a rocker 2 and also provide the step-wise transport of an information carrier 1, shown in dot-dash lines, moving through the punching station.

The punches 6 are mounted for longitudinal displacement in an upper cross strut 2a and a lower cross strut 2b of the conveying rocker 2. Below the lower cross strut 2b, a matrix 2c is provided and a slot 3 is formed therebetween, through which the information carrier 1 is guided. The conveying rocker 2 is rotatably mounted about an axle 4 with the lower end of the conveying rocker 2 being biassed by a spring 5, and the upper end being influenced by a roller 7 rotatably fastened thereto.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the roller 7 is in operative connection with a cam disc 9 fixedly mounted on a drive shaft 8. As soon as the drive shaft 8 is rotated, for example in the direction of arrow 3a, the cam disc 9 and the roller 7 cooperate in such a manner that the conveying rocker 2 pivots about its axis 4 with the spring functioning as a biassing means during this movement.

The punches 6 are actuated by punching levers 17 pivotally mounted on an axle 18 which is fixedly con nected to the frame of the device. These levers 17 contact, with their broadened front ends, the inner wall of a recess in the corresponding punch. Each punch cooperates with an adjustment rocker 14 which is mounted on a rod 12 for movement between two connecting members 11, only one member being shown. The rod 12 connects the upper ends of the two connecting members with each other, while the lower ends of the connecting members 11 are held together by a rod 13 which simultaneously cooperates with the lower edges of the punching levers 17. Both connecting members 11 are mounted on eccentrics which, in turn, are seated on the drive shaft 8. When the drive shaft 8 is rotated, the connecting members are moved up and down due to the eccentric drive with the movement being guided by slots provided in the housing walls of the device in which the rod 12 is mounted.

As further shown in FIGURE 1, the upper ends of the adjustment rockers 14 are each connected with a magnet 15 and a spring 16. The arrangement functions in such a manner that, when the magnet 15 is excited, the adjustment rocker pertaining thereto cooperates during its upward and downward movement with the punching lever 17, whereas when the magnet 15 is not excited, the adjustment rockers 14 are pivoted about the rod 12 by the springs 16 cooperating therewith, so that the punching ends of the rockers do not hit the punching lever 17 pertaining thereto when the connecting members are moved up and down.

A further cam disc 19 is mounted on the drive shaft 8 for cooperation with a roller 20 rotatably mounted at the end of a lever 21. The lower end of the lever 21 is pivotally mounted on an axle 23 fixedly attached to the frame and is under the influence of a torsion spring 24 which biasses the roller 20 to always contact the cam disc 19. A drive cam 22 is fixedly connected with the lower end of the lever 21 and is preferably provided with a planar drive surface 22a for driving the movable clamping jaw 26. The rotation of shaft 8 and cam disc 19 induce a reciprocatory rocking motion in lever 21 so that the elements 8, 1.9 and 20 constitute a reciprocatory drive means which directly drives cam 22, and through the intermediary of cam 22 and a plunger 39, indirectly drives movable jaw 26.

The clamping jaw arrangement in addition to the movable jaw 26 comprises a clamping jaw 25 fixedly mounted to the machine frame. The movable clamping jaw 26 is pivotally mounted about the axle 37 which is fixedly provided and simultaneously serves as the guide for the information carrier 1. The drive cam 22 cooperates with an adjustable plunger 39 provided in a projection of the movable clamping jaw 26. An adjusting device 38 is provided for adjusting the plunger 39, which essentially comprises a set screw 41, a counter nut 42, and a spacer screw 40. The movable clamping jaw is U-shaped and is provided with a narrow leg 27 and a broad leg 28, these legs being connected with each other by a cross strut 29. The cross strut 29 carries a friction lining 30 in a recess 33, as shown in FIGURE 4, for arresting the information carrier 1. The movable clamping jaw 26 is further provided with a spring arm 32 which is biassed by a spring 36 suspended at a pin 33.

In FIGURE 2, there is shown, partly in section, the details of the movable clamping jaw 26, as well as of the adjusting device 38. The drive shaft 3 is shown with a somewhat differently shaped cam disc 19a cooperating with a roller 26a which is rotatably mounted on a short rocking lever 21. The lower end of the rocking lever 21 is rotatably mounted on the fixed axle 23 as is the drive cam 22 cooperating with the torson spring 24.

The bearing surface 22a of the drive cam 22 is preferably planar and cooperates with the bearing surface 39a of the plunger 39, which is the shape of a section of a generated surface of a cylinder. Thus, a point contact between the cam and the plunger is avoided and the durability of the device is improved. The plunger 39 is longitudinally displaceable and is secured against rotation in the projection 35 in the broad leg 28 of the movable clamping jaw 26. The cross strut 29 of the movable clamping jaw is also shown, in sectional view, having the friction lining 30 carried thereby. The clamping jaw 25 is fixedly mounted above the friction lining whereby during movement of the punches 6 into punching position and during the punching operation, the jaw 25 and the friction lining arrest the movement of the information carrier. The movable clamping jaw 26 is mounted on the fixed axle 37 by means of bearing bushings 34 and the spring arm 32 as shown in FIGURE 2, is connected with a spring 36 via a spring pin 33 in the same manner as the embodiment of FIGURE 1.

The plunger 39 is detachably connected with the set screw 41 by means of a spacer screw 40. The set screw is provided with a longitudinal bore 43 wherein the shaft 40a of the spacer screw 40 is guided. The threaded projection 40b of the spacer screw is threaded into the plunger 39 in such a manner that the plunger can be firmly pressed onto the end face 41a of the set screw .1. In order to ensure that the plunger and end face 41a may be firmly pressed together, both the end face 41a and the surface of the plunger opposed to the face are machined planar. The set screw 41 itself is threaded into a correspondingly threaded bore in the projection 35 of the movable clamping jaw and secured therein by means of the counter nut 42.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the adjusting device 38 taken along the line III-III of FIGURE 4. It can be clearly seen from FIGURE 3 that the plunger 39 has an oblong cross section. The bearing surface 39a of the plunger is under the influence of the spring 35 as shown in FIGURE 1, which biasses the bearing surface always to be in contact with the bearing surface 22a of the plunger 22, along a contact line, and thus eliminates excessive Wear of the device. In FIGURE 3, there is also shown in section the broad leg 28 of the movable clamping jaw 26 wherein the device 38 is mounted.

In order to adjust the plunger 39 and yet retain the oblong plunger cross section in the proper position for the advantageous linear contact, the adjustment is accomplished by first loosening the spacer screw 40, then releasing the counter nut 42 so that thereupon a longitudinal displacement of the plunger 39 relative to the movable clamping jaw can be carried out, by means of the set screw 41. When the set screw 41 is rotated, there is only a longitudinal displacement of the plunger 39 and no rotational movement, since the shaft 40a of the spacer screw 40 is mounted in the longitudinal bore 43 of the set screw 41 with a small amount of play. Once the longitudinal displacement of the plunger is ended, the counter nut and the spacer screw 40 are tightened again. Thus, the plunger is adjusted to its new position and fixed therein.

In FIGURE 4, which is a top view of the movable clamping jaw, there is shown the bearing bushings 34- in each leg of the U-shaped frame, and the recess 31 in the cross strut 29 having the friction lining 3t) thereon. Additionally, FIGURE 4 illustrates the cross-sectional shape of the plunger 39 which is of oblong form and preferably the shape of a circle which is flattened on both sides parallel to the contact line between drive cam and plunger. However, it is also noted that the cross-sectional shape of the plunger can also have any other oblong configura tion while maintaining a line contact between the bearing surfaces.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the operation of the device is such that when the drive shaft Sis rotated, the reciprocating motion of the conveying rocker 2, the lowering and withdrawal of the punching dies 6 into and from the information carrier 1, the opening and closing of the clamping jaws 25 and 26, as well as the movement of the adjustment rockers 14 cooperate for the punching of a bit of information, as well as the conveying of the information carrier by one step, whereby the punching and conveying is carried out simultaneously with the clamping jaws 25 and 26 being closedwhen the conveying rocker 2 swings back into its starting position, shown in dot-dash lines.

Thus, through the clamping jaw arrangement of the present invention, and particularly the adjusting device 38, it is now possible to set the control periods of the arrangement and to determine the extent of the conveying steps. At the same time, the device can be adapted to different thicknesses of the material of the information carrier and by means of the adjusting device 38, it is also possible to compensate for manifestations of wear and tear in the drive system, as well as between the bearing surfaces 22a and 39a. Moreover, the clamping jaw arrangement permits a lowering of the manufacturing tolerances, and at the same time a more accurate adjustment of the control periods and thus considerable savings with respect to time and material are made possible in the manufacturing process.

It is also noted that the adjusting device can also be mounted to the clamping jaw arrangement in some other manner. For example, the clamping jaw arrangement can also be combined with any other stepwise conveying devices, such as a tape puncher, by providing a pivotally mounted toggle lever whose non-driven end carries a conveying roller and a pressure roller, the tape being guided between these rollers and conveyed, by these rollers, through the punching station.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping jaw arrangement for step-by-step conveying devices wherein an information carrier is conveyed in a stepwise manner comprising, in combination:

a first clamping jaw which is fixedly mounted;

a second clamping jaw mounted for movement between a first position which is spaced from said fixed jaw so that an information carrier may be conveyed be tween the jaws and a second position in which it engages said fixed jaw for arresting movement of such information carrier;

reciprocatory drive means for driving said movable clamping jaw in synchronism with conveying steps of such information carrier;

drive cam means having a planar drive surface of a predetermined width driven by said reciprocatory drive means; and

adjustable means including a plunger having a planar drive surface whose width corresponds to that of said drive cam means surface, said plunger being adjustably displaceable in a longitudinal direction and having its drive surface arranged for engaging said drive cam means surface along a contact line to drive said movable jaw, wherein the movement of said drive cam means causes said movable jaw to move back and forth in relation to said fixed clamping jaw.

2. A clamping jaw arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said plunger drive surface is in the shape of a generated surface section of a cylinder, said arrangement further comprising spring means connected to said movable clamping jaw for biasing said plunger into engagement with said drive cam means, whereby said planar drive surface of said cam means and said drive surface of said plunger engage each other along the contact line.

3. A clamping jaw arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein the cross section of said plunger is of oblong configuration with respect to the contact line and is'of the shape of a circle flattened on both sides parallel to the contact line.

4. A clamping jaw arrangement as defined in claim 3 further comprising means for mounting said plunger on said movable clamping jaw, said means including a set screw having a counter nut thereon for varying the longitudinal displacement of said plunger and for securing said plunger against rotation With respect to said movable aw.

5. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for conveying an information carrier in a stepwise manner, and wherein said adjustable means are adjustable to compensate for inaccuracies in said clamp ing jaw arrangement so as to synchronize the movement of said movable jaw with the movement of said conveying means.

6. A clamping jaw arrangement for step-by-step conveying devices wherein an information carrier is conveyed in a stepwise manner comprising, in combination:

a first clamping jaw which is fixedly mounted;

a second clamping jaw mounted for movement between a first position in which it is spaced from said fixed jaw so that an information carrier may be conveyed between said jaws, and a second position in Whih it engages said fixed jaw for arresting movement of such information carrier;

reciprocatory drive means for driving said movable clamping jaw in synchronism with conveying steps of such information carrier;

drive cam means of a predetermined width provided with a planar drive surface and driven by said reciprocatory drive means;

adjustable means including a plunger having a width corresponding to that of said drive cam means, said plunger being adjustably displaceable in a longitudinal direction and being arranged for engaging said drive cam means to drive said movable jaw, wherein the movement of said drive cam means causes that movable jaw to move back and forth in relation to said fixed clamping jaw, said plunger being provided with a drive surface in the shape of a generated surface section of a cylinder;

spring means connected to said movable clamping jaw for biassing said plunger into engagement with said drive cam means, whereby said planar drive surface of said cam means and said drive surface of said plunger engage each other along a contact line, the cross section of said plunger being of oblong configuration With respect to the contact line and having the shape of a circle flattened on both sides parallel to the contact line;

means for mounting said plunger on said movable clamping jaw, said means including a set screw having a counter nut thereon for varying the longitudinal displacement of said plunger and for securing said plunger against rotation with respect to said movable jaw, said set screw having a face at one end thereof and including a longitudinal bore therethrough, said means for mounting said plunger further including a spacer screw having a shaft insertable in said longitudinal bore and having a threaded projection at the end thereof, said threaded projection being threadable into said plunger for pressing the surface of said plunger away from its said drive surface onto said one end face of said set screw.

7. A clamping jaw arrangement as defined in claim 6 wherein said end face of said set screw and said surface of said plunger opposite thereto are planar.

8. A clamping jaw arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein said movable clamping jaw comprises a U-shaped 7 8 frame having a narrow leg, a broad leg, and a cross strut References Cited connecting said legs, said broad leg having said adjustable UNITED STATES PATENTS means including said plunger and said set screw mounted therein, a friction lining mounted on said cross strut for arresting the movement of the information carrier, and 5 axle means provided Within the leg portions of said movable clamping jaw about which said movable jaw HENSON WOOD, JR., P1 zmary Exammeh pivots. R. A. SCI-IACHER, Assistant Examiner.

1,670,006 5/1928 Prym 226-165 3,211,370 10/1965 Hergert 234-428 X 

